Manual:Infantry Manual:Organization:Types of Units

Types of Units
Infantry units are highly flexible and may be organized in several fashions as best suits the mission. To best understand the organization of such units, let us look at the building blocks of Marine Infantry organization.

Platoon and Company Types
Platoon & company types are formed based on mission requirements and logistical considerations. These platoons can then be combined in various ways to form a myriad of company types. These platoon types can usually be either Powered or Light, unless otherwise specified below. The most common platoon types are:
 * Light Infantry Rifle Platoon
 * A platoon that uses light weapons such as the R944 Phaser Rifle and R217 7mm Machine Gun. The team leaders rifle is usually equipped with a grenade launcher attachment.
 * Heavy Weapons Platoon
 * A platoon that fields mortars, man-portable missile systems, and other heavy weapons to support Light Infantry rifle platoons. Powered HW Platoons are usually equipped with Magnum suits.
 * The Assault Platoon
 * These platoons specialize in covert and “forced-entry” insertion operations. Powered Assault Platoons are assembled with whatever suits and specialists best fit the terrain / mission.
 * Reconnaissance Platoon
 * A concentration of Battlefield Surveillance Specialists and specially trained Infantrymen to increase the tactical intelligence available to the battlefield commander. The Powered Recon Platoon is equipped with scouting Pathfinder suits.
 * Scout / Sniper Platoon
 * A different and much more specialized reconnaissance platoon, these can often be combined with standard recon platoons for even more effective intelligence gathering and battlefield surveillance. There is no equivalent Powered Platoon type here. Powered Armor does not lend itself to stalking and concealment.
 * Aeromobile
 * This designation indicates that the Infantry unit has been assigned subordinate aerospace units, and that those organic (belonging to the Infantry unit) air elements are capable of transporting all of the Infantry unit’s assets. This is naturally a large and complex force that few starships outside amphibi-ous assault craft can embark. However, a few of the larger classes (i.e. Galaxy & Sovereign) do em-bark such units, which are used as Rapid Deployment Forces for trouble spots and other crises. Aer-omobile Infantry Units are rarely larger than Company-sized.
 * Special Operations Capable
 * An SOC designation means the unit is trained in a limited but important range of special operations missions. While equipped and prepared to carry out such missions at a moment’s notice, these are not the small, elite Spec Ops. They are standard Infantry units with specialized training and equip-ment, and, therefore, fall outside the Special Operations Branch. A unit can receive the SOC designa-tion if all members complete SO-100 & SO-201.